Beef

15 Leftover Roast Beef Recipes That Meat You Halfway

Our favorite ways to save time by repurposing your most robust roasts.

December 16, 2020
Photo by James Ransom

There's a rule of thumb when making a roast of any kind: make enough that your guests could not possibly finish it all. That ensures everyone leaves the table satisfied, and you have plenty—plenty—of leftovers (and plenty of our favorite leftover roast beef recipes) to spin that gorgeous hunk into all kinds of time-saving meals.

We have recipes for leftover roast beef from around the globe, for every time of day, and for every possible craving. Where's the beef? It's right here.

1. Beef Flautas

Tuck hearty chunks or shreds of leftover roast beef into corn tortillas, roll tightly and fry until crisp and golden-brown for a revitalized roast that pairs perfectly with homemade salsa.

2. Beef Chopped Salad

Sure you could toss cubes of leftover roast beef into any old salad...or you could construct a salad specially to carry these precious cubes back to their former glory. Honor the remnants of your roast with potatoes and a creamy combination of dressing and blue cheese, and discover your favorite new hearty salad in the process.

3. Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef-Stuffed Chile Rellenos

Finely chop or shred leftover roast beef (skip the slow-cooker step here), stuff into garlicky roasted and skinned poblano peppers with shredded cheese, and bake for a shortcut to a weeknight dinner that tastes like an all-day project.

4. Make-Ahead Beef & Three-Cheese Noodle Casserole

Sub in chopped leftover roast beef for the browned ground beef in this comforting noodle bake that's easy to make ahead and pop in the oven when you're ready. Sun-dried tomatoes, dried herbs, and fresh sliced leeks amp up the flavor, but feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand.

5. Corned Beef Hash

Leftover roast beef substitutes for corned beef—which can prove tricky to source out of season—in this hearty hash recipe that fries up beautifully for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Potatoes, carrots, butternut squash add color and flavor. All it needs is a perfect fried egg on top.

6. Steak and Bean Torta

Steak sandwiches are a great way to revitalize leftover roast beef, and there's none heartier than this steak and bean torta. The spicy-savory-tangy combination of beef, jalapeños, and black beans simmered with chipotle, cumin, and lime juice makes for a supremely satisfying sandwich.

7. Thai Basil Stir-Fry (Put Kaprow)

Substitute finely chopped leftover roast beef for the ground beef in this Thai stir-fry recipe, and add in the last five minutes of cooking with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce to heat the beef through without overcooking it.

8. Okinawan Taco Rice Bowls

Finely chop leftover roast beef and add instead of the ground beef, cook briefly with chili flakes, cumin, coriander, paprika, soy sauce, and miso to blast it with flavor and prepare it for the Japanese-Tex Mex hybrid rice bowl that's sure to make it into your fusion cuisine rotation.

9. Herbed Feta and Steak Sandwich

It can't be overstated: Steak sandwiches are an excellent option when it comes to using up leftover roast beef. Pair with a mustard-spiked feta sauce and handful of greens for a blue ribbon sammie that will make you wish you had more leftover roast beef.

10. Stir-Fried Rice with Leftovers

Leftover protein of all kinds is welcome in this simple fried rice recipe with greens and roasted peanuts, but leftover roast beef really sings. Get everything prepped before you start—this dish comes together very quickly—and get dinner on the table like that.

11. Mile End’s Smoked Meat Poutine

Your roast beef may not be Mile End's world-famous smoked meat, but it's still an excellent topping for this loaded poutine recipe from the Montreal culinary legend. Cut into cubes or slivers and add to a pile of fries, cheese curds, and gravy for a memorable, filling meal.

12. Leftover Steak and Cheddar Sandwich

This updated classic steak sandwich pairs beef and cheddar with a French twist: Dijon, cornichons, mayonnaise, and a generous handful of crisp, peppery arugula. Use this roadmap to substitute with anything you have in your fridge: baby spinach, whole grain mustard, and dill pickles all work great.

13. Meaty Cabbage and Rice Stew

Cut leftover roast beef into 1-inch cubes, set aside, and add with the rice and cabbage for a shortcut to this meaty, warming stew that's easy to scale up for a hungry crowd.

14. Beef & Vegetables with Sesame Glass Noodles (Japchae)

Substitute thinly sliced leftover roast beef for the marinated raw beef for a seamless time-saver in this recipe for Korean glass noodles. Combine the marinade ingredients and add with the beef to bring the Korean flavors forward just before serving.

15. Philly Cheesesteak

Slice leftover roast beef as thinly as you can for a shortcut Philly cheesesteak with all the fixings: tangy sautéed onions, peppers, and of course, Cheez Whiz (very highly recommended).

How do you repurpose your leftover roast beef? Let us know in the comments, and happy feasting!


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Jess Kapadia

Written by: Jess Kapadia

Jess is a food and travel writer/editor who grew up in her mom's Indian-Jewish hybrid kitchen. She's written for publications including Edible Los Angeles, Saveur, The Daily Meal, Food Republic, The Spruce Eats, and Food52. Jess lives in Brooklyn with her cats, Frasier and Niles.

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